Agipro News

Italy’s betting market continues to grow, despite facing a number of future obstacles combined with further regulatory uncertainties under the governance of the Lega-5Star coalition government. During August, Italian betting recorded total gross-gaming-revenues (GGR) of €111 million, representing a 34% increase on corresponding 2017 results. A breakdown of August GGR figures sees growth in retail betting to €61 million (+41%), …

Borsa Milan-listed gambling firm Gruppo Gamenet SPA has issued a ‘senior non-convertible bond’ valued at approximately €225 million, which will be put forward to private institutional investors. The non-convertible bond will have a maturity date set at 2023 and will be listed on Italian and European-wide bond exchange markets. Updating investors, Gamenet governance details that it will utilise the proceeds …

The new Serie A season kicked off on 18 August, with Italian football clubs securing a reported €125 million in lead shirt sponsorship revenues. According to data collected by Italian sports business news source SportEconomy’s ‘football shirt sponsor index’, Serie A football clubs continue to grow their lead partnerships, which have grown year-on-year since 2015, when combined Serie A sponsorships …

Following the request of all of Italy’s top flight clubs, The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) is moving forward with plans to allow Serie A sides to utilise sleeve sponsorship deals. The proposal could potentially expand the shirt sponsorship opportunities for Italian sides, allowing them to promote four partners on their official matchday shirts. In an official statement, the league stated: …

European online bookmaker Marathonbet has raised eyebrows confirming that it will act as official shirt sponsor of Serie A football club SS Lazio. Marathonbet details that it has secured a fixed short-term sponsorship with Lazio, which will terminate in January 2019 as the Italian government imposes its blanket ban on betting/gambling advertising, sponsorships and marketing across all media and sports …

Moreno Marasco, the President of Italian online betting/gambling trade body LOGiCO has penned an open letter to industry leadership urging for ‘self-discipline during Italy’s transitional advertising period’. Though all Italian betting stakeholders, face tough adjustments to meet the demands of the incoming (1 January 2019) Lega-5Star ‘Dignity Decree’ banning all forms of gambling advertising, LOGiCO pleads for restraint and responsibility. …

Facebook has become the latest US tech giant to confirm that it will comply with the approved mandate of the new Italian coalition government’s ‘Dignity Decree’. Updating its Italian advertising terms and conditions, Facebook states that it will no longer accept adverts, promotions, pages, Instagram accounts and apps that promote or facilitate online gambling. “Pursuant to recent legislative developments, our …

As Italy’s parliament debates the approved mandate of the Lega-5Star ‘Dignity Decree’, implementing a blanket ban on sports betting advertising and sponsorship, the European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) has detailed its support for Italian industry trade body – LOGiCO’s stance against the proposal. Teaming up with LOGiCO, the EGBA has sent a joint letter to Italian MPs ‘expressing significant …

Updating the market, FTSE250 technology group Playtech Plc has confirmed that it will ‘squeeze-out’ the remaining minority 3.5% shareholding in Snaitech SPA, moving to obtain the full operating equity of the Italian betting group. Following the closure of its £845 million acquisition of Snaitech (deal officially completed in June 2018), Playtech currently holds 96.5 % stake in the Milan-listed enterprise. Playtech’s …

Italian gambling group Gruppo Gamenet SPA has today signed a ‘binding agreement’ to acquire a 100% share capital in betting operator GoldBet offering a deal-value of €265 million (£240 million) Updating the market, Gamenet will move to acquire outright Goldbet’s 990 Italian betting points, and will further gain the firm’s related digital properties. At present, Goldbet is considered Italy’s biggest …